4. SkyEye
The plains were burning.
The grasses of the prairie were no match for the roaring flames. The fire swept across the fields, devouring acres of lush grassland. Animals fled the approaching wall of flames. They consumed human warriors and Heartless alike. Sora and Riku were helpless to do anything as a human wielding a flamethrower was tackled by Shadows while the fire engulfed them all.
Sora cursed the idiot that had decided to make their final stand on an open plain. This plan might have worked if the world's armies still used rifles. But conventional weapons didn't affect the Heartless much. Sora had learned that the hard way when he was forced to cut through the Heartless in Hollow Bastion using only his toy wooden sword. The only weaponry that was still effective was incendiary weaponry. Hence the flamethrowers.
Fire-based weaponry worked well in the desert or Arctic regions. There was nothing to catch on fire besides the Heartless. But on this open grassland, the very ground was burning. This 'defensive deployment' had turned into a suicide mission.
Riku was running beside Sora when the idea hit him. He stopped Sora and tried to explain his plan over the roaring sound of the fire.
"We won't be able to outrun these flames forever! We've gotta make a firebreak!"
"What's a firebreak?"
"I'll show you!" Riku motioned to some nearby soldiers and gave rapid-fire orders to them. They formed a circle around Sora and Riku and began to burn the grass. Sora looked at Riku, wide-eyed in fear.
"Are you insane?! We're helping the fire!"
Riku had to shout over the fire, which was growing steadily closer. "When I say so, use your Blizzard spell to put out the flames."
"What good will that do?"
Riku pointed around them. "If we burn a circle of grass now, the flames won't be able to reach us! We'll be safe until the fire dies down!"
A look of epiphany dawned over Sora's face. He held up his hand for a high-five. "Riku, you're a genius!"
.
Within seconds, the soldiers had burned a circle around the two Keyblade wielders. Sora and Riku started extinguishing the burning grass while the soldiers burned the grass inside the circle, creating a twenty-meter wide circle of burnt grass. The group of humans huddled in the middle of the firebreak, praying the fire wouldn't find anything flammable left in the blackened circle.
The approaching fire rushed towards them, the wind propelling the flames faster. Sora and Riku watched as the flames reached the firebreak, hesitated, and continued around the circle of burnt prairie. Soon they were surrounded by flames, yet they were perfectly safe in their large safety zone. The humans were untouched by the fire.
Riku looked at the fire with a defiant grin on his face. "Ha! You missed me. Better luck next time!" He cast a Blizzard spell into the flames in celebration. The flamethrower-toting men surrounded the nineteen-year-old and began congratulating him on his brilliant plan.
Their celebrations were cut short by Sora's involuntary cry. He found himself face-to-face with a Shadow that had suddenly spawned out of the ground. He turned to regroup with the rest of the humans, but he found himself surrounded by Heartless. Riku and the group of soldiers found themselves surrounded as well. Shadows, Neoshadows, and Darkballs came out of nowhere. The only thing Sora could do was hack at the nearest ones in an attempt to cut through the horde.
Riku began slicing his way towards Sora, leaving the soldiers to defend themselves. Jets of flame erupted from their weapons, keeping the Heartless at bay. But every time a Heartless succumbed to blade or flame, another one came out of the ground to replace it. Sora knew they couldn't hold out here forever, and the Heartless showed no signs of slowing. His arms began to ache from swinging the Keyblade.
He looked up and saw that Riku was having similar luck. Shadows were springing out from the crowd only to be picked out of the air by Way to the Dawn and evaporate in a black mist. But no matter how many he slew, they simply kept coming. Riku looked up at Sora and tried to shout something.
"I can't hear you, Riku!"
"Sora!"
"What?"
"Sora!"
"Riku, what?"
"Sora… Sora, wake up."
"What are you talking about, Riku!?"
"Sora, wake up! Wake up!"
Sora awoke with a start to find himself in his bed with a very concerned Kairi shaking his shoulder. When she saw he was awake, she gently ran her hand through his incessantly spiky hair.
"You were having a nightmare again, weren't you?"
Still breathing in rapid gasps from his dream, Sora rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, I was. The same one as always."
A look of concern spread across Kairi's face. "Did you see…?" She trailed off into silence.
Sora shook is head. "No."
She pulled Sora into a close embrace, hoping to calm her husband down. He had been having the same nightmare on and off for nearly two years now. When he was having them, it was nearly impossible for him to sleep. He feared falling asleep so much that he needed to take a potent tranquilizer simply to get some rest. The only good thing about the fits was that they never lasted more than ten days. But during those ten days, Sora was an absolute mess. Lethargic, disinterested, and occasionally terrified of the dark. Kairi couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he went through every time.
If there ever was a good time to get the nightmares, though, now was that time. There would be plenty of things to distract him over the next few days. That evening was the barbecue, tomorrow was going to be a stay-at-home day for the two of them, and on Sunday they went to Ansem Air Force Base to sort out the details of their emergency deployment status. That didn't leave much time for anything else, which, thankfully, included being strung out from lack of sleep.
Kairi usually cursed the Emergency Deployment letters, but now she was glad it had arrived in such a timely fashion. The distraction would be welcome. And who knows? If they got lucky, maybe they'd get to do something really exotic, like parachuting to the trouble zone. That would take his mind right off his troubles.
She continued to embrace Sora even as she felt the rising and falling of his chest slow down as he entered the deep breathing of sleep. Maybe her very presence would ward off the nightmares. It was the least she could hope for.
***
The sun had just begun to lighten the eastern horizon when the activity at Ansem AFB began to pick up. Normally, the base was quiet until at least dawn, but today was different. Hundreds of civilian contractors swarmed around the launch pad, preparing it for the launch. Many more tended to the crawling platform that ever so slowly moved the white behemoth towards the pad, crunching the gravel path along its way.
Other than the contractors, though, the base was completely silent. Nobody was allowed in or out for the day. Personnel were confined to their barracks until the launch was complete. The dawn patrols had taken to the skies an hour before the swarm of technicians had arrived. For Ansem Air Force Base, today's agenda had one item: Launch this rocket.
Rockets such as this were a rare sight. Most space-bound equipment was either small enough to fit on a cargo Gummi ship or were assembled in space from smaller components. The only use for a rocket was to launch something that had a single large component; one that was too large for a cargo ship.
However, the vast majority of people working that day had no idea what the rocket's payload was. The only thing they knew was that it was a classified Air Force project. Everything about it had been very hush-hush. Most of the contractors didn't even know they were going to be working today up until a week ago.
The few people who knew exactly what the rocket was carrying were in a bunker a mile away, preparing to make a statement. The project lead, General Harris, sat in the center of a long table adorned with a banner bearing the seal of the Air Force. Dozens of cameras, lights, and microphones packed the small room, making it swelteringly hot. However, the heat was not what was making Harris sweat.
Today was the culmination of three years' worth of work. Everyone involved knew that all their effort could vanish in an instant if the rocket malfunctioned. But if it worked, it would extend a blanket of safety over Aegis. With the Heartless appearing to be worming their way into recent events again, it was absolutely vital that this launch proceed immediately and flawlessly.
The broadcast was supposed to be live, but there simply wasn't time. The launch had been moved ahead four months as it was, and Harris needed to personally oversee every last detail to make sure today went smoothly. So he had opted to record his statement now and have it played on TV just before the launch so he could be in Mission Control.
A cameraman signaled to somebody behind the glaring lights. A voice from the blackness told Harris that he was live in ten seconds. The cameraman held up his fingers in a countdown. At zero, he pointed to the general.
"Good morning, people of Aegis…"
***
Hayner was busy scrambling some eggs when Olette burst into the kitchen.
"What time is it?"
Stunned by the sudden and unexpected appearance of his fiancé, Hayner stood frozen by the stove, an egg in his hand. Olette bolted to the clock and squeaked as she saw the time. She bolted out of the kitchen, yelling to Hayner over her shoulder.
"Hayner! Get to the TV! There's something important on!"
Hayner took the eggs off the stove and set them on the nearby countertop. As he wandered into the next room, Olette grasped his shoulders and roughly sat him down on the couch. The government news channel was on, showing an officer with big rank insignia sitting at a table accompanied by several lesser officers.
He had a flash of déjà vu when he saw the face. "Hey, is that the general that Sora talks to? I swear I've-"
"Shh! This is important, Hayner!"
As they watched, the general began to speak.
"Good morning, people of Aegis. In just a few moments, the most ambitious defense project in history will be launched.
"This launch will mark the beginning of a new era of safety for Aegis. Previously, our sensor satellites had only indirect communication with our defense network. There was no way to send data directly from a sensor computer to a defense platform's targeting computer. The recent rogue Gummi ships in our atmosphere were left to roam freely until they got near enough to the surface to become a true threat. That, however, is about to change.
"With today's launch, every satellite orbiting Aegis will now be linked to a central hub. It is the final product of years of military research and development. This, ladies and gentlemen, is SkyEye."
The camera zoomed out to reveal a large screen behind the general. A computer-generated image of a massive satellite appeared onscreen. There was a small humanoid figure next to the satellite for comparison. SkyEye was twenty times taller than the human. The giant cylindrical satellite had solar panels that covered an entire acre when fully deployed.
The general continued. "SkyEye is the most advanced communications center ever built. It can send incredible amounts of data to any terminal it chooses. This will be the link between our orbiting eyes and hands. Defense platforms may now get targeting data directly from sensor satellites.
"As you can see, its incredible size necessitates the use of a custom-designed rocket instead of a cargo Gummi ship. Unfortunately, it has no on-board defenses, so every space-capable vessel is being used as temporary defense for the launch. SkyEye will be fully deployed twenty minutes after liftoff. When it comes online, it can use the ODN platforms as its defense. There will be no holes in our coverage a half an hour from now.
"The launch will commence in two minutes."
The screen switched to a view of the launch pad at Ansem Air Force Base with a crowd of VIPs off to the left. A countdown appeared in the upper right corner, slowly ticking down. Hayner and Olette watched the numbers gradually become smaller, the anticipation growing every time it changed. If what the general said was true, it meant that the most recent threat was defused. No more Heartless crashing Gummi ships onto innocent people.
The countdown was at sixty seconds. The voice of a mission controller came over the speakers. "T minus sixty seconds." The giant rocket stood on the pad, seeming to live and breathe as unneeded gases were vented from the hull in small white clouds. Hoses carrying liquid fuel were retracted from the launch tower's base and rapidly stored in bunkers.
T minus thirty seconds. A hush fell over the crowd on camera. The tension became palpable. The air seemed to freeze in place.
At T minus ten, the controller's voice came over the speakers again, counting down the seconds to launch.
"We are GO for launch. T minus ten… nine… eight…"
The final supply arms were drawn back from the rocket, rapidly swinging to the side. People began to cheer and whistle as the countdown neared zero.
"Five… begin ignition sequence."
With that statement, billowing clouds of white gas burst from the engine cones. A low rumble could be heard from the distant viewing post.
"Three… two… one… Ignition!"
The clouds of fuel ignited into an enormous fireball. The low rumble turned into an incredible roar as the rocket reached full thrust. Flames shot out from the bottom of the launch pad.
"We have liftoff!"
Finally reaching full power, the rocket crawled skyward, slowly picking up speed. As it cleared the launch tower, it became visible in the city ten miles away. People got out of their cars and leaned out windows to watch. The populace began to clap and cheer as their greatest hope for peace shot skyward. Though they were unable to attend the launch, they had heard the bulletins put out earlier that morning. Now their hope was riding on a column of flame.
The majestic white spire of the rocket climbed higher into the blue sky until it was only a glint of light from the burning fuel. The TV screen could barely show it anymore. A voice came over the speakers.
"We now take you live to the SkyEye Launch Control Center."
A shot of General Harris standing at the rear of a room filled with rows of consoles filled the screen. Controllers made various callouts as the rocket reached orbital altitude and jettisoned spent sections until all that was left was SkyEye itself. A computer-generated image came up on the screen, picture-in-picture style. It showed the solar panels of SkyEye unfolding to their full size. After nearly a full minute, they were fully deployed and the picture disappeared.
A flight controller made one last callout and the room's occupants stood and applauded. General Harris pushed a button on his headset, grinning.
"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how we do that."
***
Sora had begun making his barbecue sauce while the sun was still high in the sky. If he waited any longer, it wouldn't be ready when the guests arrived. He went about gathering his ingredients with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. A rocket launch! He had only ever seen rockets in movies and pictures, never in real life. He hadn't even seen one on a news channel before. They simply weren't used.
He found that to be a sad fact. Even from his house twenty miles away, he could see and hear the rocket as it ascended into the sky. It was awesome to behold. It made Gummi ship travel seem mundane by comparison. After all, Gummi ships flew like a normal plane until they exited the atmosphere, and it took hours. The rocket was completely gone within three minutes of liftoff. Sora could hardly comprehend the raw power needed to haul something that big and heavy at such speeds.
As he was merrily preparing his sauce, he was so engrossed by thoughts of the rocket that he never noticed Kairi sneaking up behind him. She waited until his hands were away from the mixing bowl before jabbing him in the sides, causing him to yelp and jump a foot into the air. He whipped around to find Kairi pointing at him and laughing.
"You're so easy to scare, Sora. For spending so long fighting for your life, you sure are a coward."
As much as Sora loved Kairi, he couldn't let her insult his pride like that, even in joking. "Aw, c'mon, Kairi. I'm distracted today. I keep thinking about that rocket. It was so cool!"
Kairi giggled. "It was. I bet Hayner enjoyed it, too."
"Yeah, he had to. How couldn't he?"
She was about to comment about Olette when the smell of the sauce reached her nose. She sniffed the air, relishing the delicious scent produced by the savory sauce. Sora jokingly pushed her away as she drifted towards the bowl.
"Alright, Kairi, it isn't done yet. You can't have any until our friends get here. Hey! Down, girl. Sit. Stay."
Kairi feigned shock at Sora's terse commands. "What am I, your dog? I refuse to be spoken to in such a manner."
She pouted and turned her back to Sora, who sighed and wrapped his arms around her.
"Alright, you can be the first person to get a taste. Would that work?"
Kairi turned in his arms, still pouting. "Hmm. Alright, but if you pretend I'm your dog ever again, I swear I'm going to leave you." She gave him a playful swat on the forehead and smiled. "Besides, out of both of us, you're the one who is most like a puppy. I should be giving you commands."
Sora let her go and smiled even wider. "Woof!" He let his tongue hang out the side of his mouth.
"Very attractive, Sora. Come on, you need to finish that sauce before people get here."
"You mean I need to finish it so you can have a taste."
"Just finish it!"
"Woof!"